Improvement in spring air-pistols



A. BEDFORD,

SPRING AIR-PISTOL.

i No..17z,375. Patented Jan.1a,1a7e.

ILPETERS, PMOTD-LITHOGRPNER. WASHINGTON. CV

Unrrnn STATES PATENT @Enron AUGUSTUS BEDFORD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRING AlR-PISTOLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l'; dated January 18, 1876; application iiled Y December 9, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS BEDFORD, ot' Boston, Suffolk county, Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Air- Pistols, of which the following is a specification:

The drawings accompanying this specification represent, in Figure l a central and longitudinal section, and in Fig. 2 a transverse section, of a pistol embodying` my improvements, and in Fig. 3 a plan ot' the breech-closing mechanism.

In these drawings, A represents the frame of the pistol, of which B is the portion in which the air-magazine C is located, and D the stock or handle. The barrel of the pistol is shown at E, as secured to the upper forward part of the frame B, and formed at its rear part with an air-passage, a, which coincides with a similar passage, b, created in the stock below, the conjoint passage a b serving to open communication between the forward end ofthe air-magazine and the rear end of the barrel.

The plunger ot' the pistol is shown at F as composed of two circular disks, c d, the former or outer one of which screws into the other by means of a screW-tenon, e, while a washer or ring, j', of leather or other proper expansible or semi-elastic material is interposed between the two portions c d, the diameter of the washer heilig somewhat greater than that of the rest of the plunger, to prevent injury to the interior of the air-magazine. A peripheral channel, a2, is cut in the circumference ofthe part d to receive the trigger, as hereinafter explained.

Should the periphery of the plunger become worn to such an extent that air passes between it and the wall ot' the air-magazine, the portion c is screwed up to a sliglitextent, the result being that the washer is expanded diametrically, and its circumference increased to the desired extent.

An a-xial tenon, g, is formed upon the inner end ofthe portion d of the piston, to receive and steady the end of the spring IL, which irnpels the plunger to the outer end of the airchamber and against the head of a rod, Gr, which is shown in the accompanying drawings as passing loosely through an aperture,

i, created in the cap or holt 7c, which closes the outer end of the air-magazine, the inner end or head ot' this rod being converted into a conical valve, Z, which iits a valve-seat, m, formed in the inner face ot' the cap and about the oriiice t', while the outer end ot' the rod is provided with a head, n, which incloses and slides upon the barrel E, a coiled spring, o, encircling the rod G, and interposed between the cap k and head a, serving to force the rod outward, and maintain its valve l in close contact with the seat m, and thus prevent escape of air at this point.

The trigger of this pistol is a double one,

and acts with a reverse movementthatis to say, it is composed, first, of a vertical lever, p, which ispivoted to the under side of the frame A, and whose nose q is pressed upward by a spring, r; and, secondly, of a horizontal latch, s, also pivoted at its forward end to the under side of the frame A, and in advance of the trigger or lever p, the nose q ot' said lever engaging the free end of the latch in such manner that when the trigger is pulled the latch is lowered and the plunger released. I do not, however, claim this trigger1 as my invention. i

' The device for closing the rear end ofthe barrel consists of a vertical gate or plate, t, covering the open end ot' the barrel, and pivoted at its upper edge to the upper rear corner ofthe barrel7 as shown at a in the drawings, while in addition to this gate or movable breech-block, I employ a locking device, consisting of attimi-button, c, pivoted at its upper end to the upper part of the gate t by a pivot, w, and formed with a handle or knob, m, for convenience in turning it upon such pivot, while in the frame A below the button I cast a transverse channel, y, whose rear boundary or wall z is disposed obliquely to the axis o1" the barrel and the plane of the gate and button, in order that when the button is swung into the position which locks the breech, it shall at the same time be crowded powerfully forward by the sloping wall c, and force the gate or movable breech t tightly up against the rear end ofthe barrel, a suitable packing, al, being interposed between the'breech and barrel to insure an air-tight joint.

I do not in any sense restrict myselfl to this 4method ot' closin g the rear end of the barrel,

but intend to avail myself of any practical method by which the result may be brought about. The present one I represent as an efficient and practical method.

The method of using this pistol is as follows: The stock is grasped in the left hand and the head n ot the rod G seized by the right, or such head maybe placed against the edge of a table or other object, and the rod, and with it the plunger, pushed inward, and the spring h contracted until the channel a2 of the' plunger F coincides with the free end of the latch s, when the latter enters such channel, and the pistol is cocked and the plunger set, the air-chamber being filled by air entering it through the aperture t' as the rod is pushed inward, and the air prevented from escaping by this aperture by the valve l, which closes when the rod returns to its normal position by the action of its spring o. The button 'v is now turned upon its pivot from out the channel y, and the gate or breech-block t turned upward, so as to expose the rear end of the barrel, the dart or other projectile being next inserted within the barrel, and the mova- Ible breech returned to place. The pistol is now loaded, andis discharged by pulling upon the trigger-lever p, the effect of which is to remove thelatch s from its hold upon the plunger, and the latter is released and suddenly shot forward bythe stress of its spring, in its flight expelling the air from the air-chamber upward through the passage a b, interceptin g the projectilein the barrel, and expelling it from the latter. The head or button o of the rod G', in addition to constituting a means whereby the rod is readily pushed inward, also serves, in connection with the barrel, as a guide to steady the movements of such rod. The spring o serves, after the cocking or setting of the plunger, to return the rod G to its normal position, and close the aperture t' aga-inst escape of air at this point when the plunger advances.v But for the employment ot' this spring or its substitute the rod would often 'be left within the air-chamber after the plunger was set, the result ot' which would bc that the rod Would be driven back with great violence, to the injuring of the parts, and the air within the airma'gazine would escape by the aperture z', in lieu of being driven upward through the barrel. To break the vacuity which would otherwise exist in the air-magazine on advance of the plunger, I createan aperture, b', in the wall of such air-magazine at its extreme rear part, or through the center of the bolt or head c1, which closesthe rearend of such magazine.

Having thus explained the nature, purposes, and advantages of my improvement, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. The movable breech-closing device herein explained, consisting of the gate t and button c, the former being pivoted to the barrel and the latter to the gate, essentially as and for purposes stated.

2. The rod G, provided withl the spring 0,.

or its equivalent, in combination with the plunger F and cap 7c, under such an arrange-v ment that the rod serves to set or cock the plunger, and to prevent escape of air from the air-magazine on return of such plunger, substantially as and for purposes stated.

AUGUSTUS BEDFORD.

Witnesses:

S. K. SORYMGEOUR, W. E. BOARDMAN, 

